Abstract
This paper examine the performative and conflictual logics at play within Cultura Saprissa (CS), an organization composed primarily of young people who are closely connected—but not formally affiliated—with Deportivo Saprissa S.A., a First Division football club based in Costa Rica, Central America. CS is responsible for organizing stadium activations and team receptions during home games. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted between October 2022 and September 2024, I demonstrate how dramatic and confrontational expressions have been present in CS since its inception in 2018, giving rise to moments of internal tension among its members. These conflicts have extended to other related entities, including the Club itself (founded in July 1935) and its organized supporter group, La Ultra Morada (founded in April 1995). This does not imply that CS operates in a state of constant confrontation; rather, it highlights how tensions are an intrinsic part of the group’s evolution and internal dynamics. What does this reveal? First, that understanding a collective such as CS requires close attention to its internal and external disruptive dynamics. More importantly, it underscores that conflict is a fundamental aspect of everyday social life—one that must be addressed critically and analytically by the social sciences.
Presenters
Onésimo RodríguezProfessor, School of Anthropology, University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Sporting Cultures and Identities
KEYWORDS
Football, Conflict, Performance, Culture, Anthropology
